Former tennis star now raises money for ‘less fortunate’

The 1996 champion at Roland Garros, Evgeny Kafelnikov, has been busy on the grass, instead of the clay, this week. The Russian was among the stars at the President's Golf Cup held in the Moscow region.

One of the elite sports is helping children. The 14th President's Golf Cup at the Moscow country club is working to raise money for children in need of serious surgery.

Former number one ranked tennis star, Evgeny Kafelnikov, is a regular participant in the tournament and he always makes sure to take a look around.

“We're all doing a very positive thing here, raising money for kids. Most of us are quite successful in our careers and it's always good to help someone less fortunate than yourself,” he says.

Golf has yet to become a popular sport in Russia. It's now mostly a recreational activity for businessmen and former sportsmen. But with the likes of Kafelnikov turning their attention to golf, the odds are that it could become a major sport sooner, rather than later.

“I have a lot of fun playing golf, just as I had when I was a professional tennis player. And I believe golf can achieve a deserved popularity here,” Kafelnikov says.

Kafelnikov, though, still has a little to learn on the greens, as his team finished the tournament in third, though the President's Golf Cup certainly isn't about rankings.